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How much energy is generally required to kill an elk with any given caliber? What is the cut off to stop shooting at an elk and expect it to die when hit in the heart and lungs?


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I believe that 1,500 foot pounds of energy delivered at the target is traditionally considered minimal. I read this in P.O. Ackley's writings, but this was before the wide-spread use of modern controlled-expansion bullets.

Of course, folks have used 243 Winchesters and 30-30's and been successful - can only guess at the wounded game rate.

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no minimum.....if the bullet punches deep enough to disrupt the plumbing the critter dies......the whole minimum energy thing becomes real stupid once you realize ppl kill the damn things with arrows......[bleep] up the plumbing and you have a dead elk.....


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I'm no expert, but I've seen plenty of long range videos showing elk dropping in their tracks from the little 6.5x284.

Then again, they probably don't publish their wounded/lost footage.


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If you are 3 miles from the truck, it's 20 below and uphill over talus slope to the truck, it takes a bunch of energy

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I believe energy is irrelevant , you put a hole through both lungs and let the air out and they won't go far regardless of cal or energy.


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This is one of those questions that has no answer- It's similar to asking "How much gas does it takes to get to the grocery store" without knowing where the person lives, what he drives or which grocery store he goes to.

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I think its velocity not energy that is the key metric. You need enough to expand your bullet when it hits. If you carry enough velocity/energy to expand a hunting bullet you likely have enough for a broadside shot on most animals. Some bullets may require a little less but I would say a good bullet in a reasonable caliber at 2000fps should kill most things hit well.


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I managed to drop a 650 lb, 11 yr old cow elk, with a 165 grain 30 cal Ballistic tip, at 175yds that left the muzzle at 2250 fps.

destroyed both lungs, cut the esophagus and blew up the upper half of its liver.

it was at a dead run and made it another 60 yds or so, and then collapsed.

don't think we were dealing with big energy figures there..


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Originally Posted by noKnees
I think its velocity not energy that is the key metric. You need enough to expand your bullet when it hits. If you carry enough velocity/energy to expand a hunting bullet you likely have enough for a broadside shot on most animals. Some bullets may require a little less but I would say a good bullet in a reasonable caliber at 2000fps should kill most things hit well.


Good concept for centerfires but doesn't apply to 400-grain .50-caliber bullets from muzzleloaders at around 1500-1600 MV, with well under 1,000 ft.-lbs at reasonable ranges.




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The well-placed shot is the key to it all, instead of worrying about "energy" start worrying about your marksmanship and hunting skills used to get close enough for a sure-thing clean shot. Bowhunters and flintlock shooters kill elk, but they know how to hunt and shoot.


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As has been said on this thread:

Energy is a poor indicator of killing power.

The key is to punch about a 1/2" or larger hole through vital plumbing.

With spitzer type bullets, penetration is remarkably constant over a pretty broad operating range. If impact speed is in that range, it does not matter whether the bullet came from a 30-30 or a 300 RUM, the result will be essentially the same.

Most standard cup and core bullets need at least 2100 FPS at impact, and no more than 2800 FPS at impact. Partitions, for example, open at 1800 FPS and make about the same length wound channel to over 3200 FPS. Pay attention to keeping your bullet's impact speed within its design range, and you'll get pretty uniform results.

Use a standard bullet for a close in shot at 3000 FPS, and you're begging for problems.

More muzzle velocity does not get you deader critters. It gets you a longer, flatter trajectory.



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Originally Posted by bea175
I believe energy is irrelevant , you put a hole through both lungs and let the air out and they won't go far regardless of cal or energy.
I concur, its all about bullet construction and placement...energy smenergy.


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Originally Posted by rattler
no minimum.....if the bullet punches deep enough to disrupt the plumbing the critter dies......the whole minimum energy thing becomes real stupid once you realize ppl kill the damn things with arrows......[bleep] up the plumbing and you have a dead elk.....

You can't compare a bullet to an arrow. The mode of killing is totally different. An arrow cuts as it goes through and penetration is much more unless it hits a big bone.

An arrow lacks the energy of a bullet, but it has much more momentum because of it's much greater weight.


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Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
An arrow cuts as it goes through...

A bullet rips and tears as it goes through....


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Originally Posted by DayPacker
How much energy is generally required to kill an elk with any given caliber? What is the cut off to stop shooting at an elk and expect it to die when hit in the heart and lungs?



The amount of energy is a moot point, because energy numbers will not rate terminal performance. A better question to ask is "How much penetration is required and how large of a wound channel to effectively take an Elk"




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dont shoot beyond your limitations, and use a suitable caliber.

thats how much energy is required.


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Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
Originally Posted by rattler
no minimum.....if the bullet punches deep enough to disrupt the plumbing the critter dies......the whole minimum energy thing becomes real stupid once you realize ppl kill the damn things with arrows......[bleep] up the plumbing and you have a dead elk.....

You can't compare a bullet to an arrow. The mode of killing is totally different. An arrow cuts as it goes through and penetration is much more unless it hits a big bone.

An arrow lacks the energy of a bullet, but it has much more momentum because of it's much greater weight.



The mode of killing is the same wheather arrow or bullet, they both kill by massive hemorage and or by taking out the cental nervous system. No magic




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Originally Posted by Royce
If you are 3 miles from the truck, it's 20 below and uphill over talus slope to the truck, it takes a bunch of energy


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Originally Posted by jwp475
Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
Originally Posted by rattler
no minimum.....if the bullet punches deep enough to disrupt the plumbing the critter dies......the whole minimum energy thing becomes real stupid once you realize ppl kill the damn things with arrows......[bleep] up the plumbing and you have a dead elk.....

You can't compare a bullet to an arrow. The mode of killing is totally different. An arrow cuts as it goes through and penetration is much more unless it hits a big bone.

An arrow lacks the energy of a bullet, but it has much more momentum because of it's much greater weight.



The mode of killing is the same wheather arrow or bullet, they both kill by massive hemorage and or by taking out the cental nervous system. No magic



yep, end result is the same, drop in blood pressure to the brain....arrow or bullet, interrupt blood flow to the brain and the critter dies......both get the exact same result just use different methods of propulsion to get there.....


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